Something About
by sunfire1108
Summary: Kuchiki Byakuya. A series of moments throughout his life, and the events that surround him and Hisana. Senbonzakura makes multiple appearances. Ch 11 and 12 Up. Review please?
1. To Be Without

A series of stories about Kuchiki Byakuya. Keep me posted on how you like/don't like it! Seriously, I like reviews...

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Sakura petals floated in from the open window scattering themselves daintily on the worn wooden floor. Sunlight caught onto each pastel colored fleck as it drifted slowly with the warm spring wind over the floorboards. They swirled into little coils, dancing along the molding and around the legs of a desk that sat idly in the corner of the room. A single blossom hovered in the air near the occupant of the desk flowing back and forth as if to wave at the occupant, who didn't seem to notice. The blossom instead landed on the table, beckoning the occupant to look at it. Still, he seemed to pay more attention to what he was writing instead of at the alluring blossom. As if upset by his seeming lack of interest, the petals were suddenly picked up by the wind and gusted towards the hands that were so intent on writing. 

Finally capturing his attention, the blossoms settled into his now open and attentive hand. They caressed his hand, wrapping the calloused flesh in a velvet blanket. The muscles in his hand relaxed at the lightness of the touch, it felt like a lover's hand on top of his own. _Hers._

The Sakura blossoms always knew when he was thinking about her, they could feel it. That's why they came. Senbonzakura knew better than anyone what it was like for him to lose her, and so, she did the only thing she knew of to help her companion.

Byakuya noted the gesture his zanpakutou was making. The feeling of the petals swirl in his hand, comforting him narrowly softened his heart of steel. She knew what he was like, how composed he kept himself; he was a noble after all, how else was he supposed to be? He had been born into a family that prided itself on being noble, and he was meant to be its head. He had been bred to be its leader, though natural he was at taking the position. At all times he maintained a poise and perfection that was unrivaled in all four of the noble families in Soul Society.

He was flawless.

But never had he thought that he would put the pride or the reputation of his entire clan at risk.

Until she came.

With a flicker of her eyes she could melt the icy exterior that was Kuchiki Byakuya. She made him feel… normal. The rest of his family, himself included, always forced him into the position of aristocracy. He was made to be a god among men. The lowly humbled themselves before him, careful to never meet his gaze. Even those who were his equal trembled before him. _Except her…_

But now she was gone; taken from him by something he could not save her from. And it destroyed him. There were things that he had complete power over. There was nothing he couldn't do. _He was a god among men._ But he couldn't save her.

A pang of anger ripped at his heart and he clenched his fist, his brow furrowed as he shut his eyes. The petals that still swirled in his hand were gripped together tight suddenly. They struggled to break free, feeling strangled in his grasp. Wind whipped at his hand and tossed a few strands of his long dark hair to one side. Realizing that he was harming his companion he let go, remorse and sorrow now straining his muscles.

Senbonzakura always understood. She had been through worse with him before. The petals drifted through his fingertips and landed as lightly as a hell butterfly on the desk. Another lingering petal had floated up towards his face and lightly passed by his cheek. She wanted so badly for his pain to subside; she wished she could heal the deep course that rent his soul.

He caught the blossom against his cheek, never wanting her touch to cease. _I can't do this alone._

_"You never are." _She whispered through the wind.

He reached a hand down to his side, lightly touching the hilt of his sword, his zanpakutou, his… Senbonzakura.

The throbbing pain that yanked at his heart dispersed slightly. There was the faint feeling of thanks that crossed his mind, and he knew she could feel it.

The remaining Sakura petals that rested on his desk came to life once more, a faint picture becoming shaped within the petals. As he looked down, the faint hint of a smile passed on his face as he reached down to touch the picture formed within the petals.

_"You're welcome."_

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I'm thinking about adding more to this, but as of right now, I kind of like this the way this particular one ends. 


	2. Only With You

Staring at the ceiling of his bedroom he huffed. _Captain.__Sixth Squad.__ How… expected it was to happen._

Then he sighed as yet another high ranking title was dropped into his lap. It _was _to be expected; head of one of the four noble families of Soul Society, an impressive military lineage, top five of his class at the Academy, a shunpo master (taught by the Goddess of Flash herself), a kidou master (especially deadly with White Lightning), and not to mention the fact that he had already reached Bankai with Senbonzakura in about the same time it took to blink. It was natural for him to become captain.

Captain Kuchiki Byakuya.

Of course, his family expected this. Though, he imagined, they believed it should have been much sooner than now. At least a decade earlier than the present time.

Nothing could please his family. And to add to it, he had just married a girl from Rukongai… from the bad side of Rukongai.

Smirking, he looked over at the woman who lay beside him. She lay on her side, body rising and falling slowly as she breathed. She was still asleep.

She had been happy for him when he had told her of his promotion to captaincy. The purest look of joy on her face arose as he broke the news to her. She was the first person to know, other than the Captain-Commander of course, and Kyoraku-taicho, and Ukitake-taicho. They had promoted him; they _recommended_ him to be promoted. But Hisana was the first person to know that he had finally attained the last of his family requirements. And she kissed him when she finally heard it. Shocked as he was by her reaction, he didn't move for a moment. The usual gestures he received when he distributed news like this were always of a stoic nature. A simple 'congratulations' or a small bow were of the usual kind, never a kiss. But when she pulled him closer, his closely guarded frigid exterior melted away and he kissed her back.

Even as he looked at her now, he felt far more for her than when he obtained the promotion. Merely being near her, in her presence caused him to lose all rigidity. She was his release from the person he showed to the world.

A mild smile tugged at his mouth and he moved closer to her, putting an arm around her waist. Long, skilled fingers lightly veiled her skin as he leaned into her, her scent filling him. He curved himself against her carefully trying not to wake her. As he relaxed and closed his eyes, her arm rose and covered his to pull him closer around her. He responded and a warm wave tingled in his chest. He was unaccustomed to this particular sensation and in the stir of unfamiliarity he pulled her closer. The feeling in his chest grew, and he could feel his heart swell.

She turned in his arms to face him. Her eyes met his beckoning the question _'What's wrong?'_

He gazed back into her eyes, the dark blue orbs that they were, then leaned in placing a chaste kiss upon her lips.

_'Nothing is wrong. You're here.'_

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Yea, a little short, but I think it's a good tid bit. I mean, considering we don't know a whole lot about Byakuya to begin with, I think it's befitting. Same goes for Hisana. The next one should be longer though. I hope anyway. :)


	3. Concerning Them

I gotta say, this one took me a little while. But I'm glad I got it out, because I know exactly how I want the next couple of scenes to go! Well, let me know how I do! Thanks again for reading!

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He breathed out a frustrated sigh. Though his face showed no signs of it, he was becoming quite perturbed with the constant remarks the rest of his clan were making. The constant banter was beginning to wear his patience thin, and if he could not wrap this up soon, he would be late for dinner with Hisana. He had already kept her late the past few days because of his family's insufferable scrutiny, and he refused to do it again. And though he cared for her as he did, he was still the Kuchiki clan's head. He still had matters to attend to, much to his chagrin. 

"Byakuya-sama, do you really expect us to stand for this decision that you have made? You do well realize that you have made this decision for the whole clan as well without even consulting us? What would your father think?" came a voice from the left side of the room.

Byakuya was seated at the head of a large table in his estate's conference room. The table seated at least twelve other members from his family. At the opposite end of the table sat a thirteenth chair that was empty, and had been empty for a number of years, as his previous mentor used to sit in that chair. He was killed by a Menos Grande ambush – at least a hundred, as what the report had said. It said that he died protecting his wife and child, and though the child got away, the parents…

Byakuya stared at the seat, the question ringing his ears. _My father…_ He closed his eyes, setting his jaw firmly to prepare himself to speak, keeping his anger at bay.

Re-opening his eyes, he shot a brief glare towards the direction of the voice and spoke calmly.

"I do not expect anything from a family that does not protect one of its own sons. As for my father, he would want me to do what I feel is best for myself, though, that should not be any of your concern. My father taught me many things before he was…" he paused for a moment, glancing down at the empty chair again, "Taken from this world. But the greatest piece of advice he bequeathed to me was not to rely solely on this family. I do not expect any of you to understand that, given the current circumstances. You treat my wife as though she is some kind of stray dog. Yes, she is from Rukongai, but she has twice the class that any of you have displayed before me. In turn, as head of this household, I demand a proper appreciation from this family towards her and I will have no further question about it."

A roll of mumbling broke out along the table in protest to what he had just splayed forth.

'Silver-tongued' was what they called him at the Academy. He could twist a phrase so well that even Yamamoto-soutaichou raised an eyebrow at him. Maybe it was the words he spoke, maybe it was the power in his voice, no one was quite sure. But either way, no one _ever _questioned him.

Byakuya stood up from his seat at the head and began to walk out of the room when the voice from the left side of the table spoke again,

"Did he also not teach you about the reputation of the Kuchiki clan? What our family stands on?!"

Every head in the room snapped towards the voice. Byakuya was mere inches from the threshold of the door when he turned back. Until that moment, no one in the Kuchiki family had ever seen the harsh coldness of Byakuya's ice-ridden stare. His eyes glared straight into the elder's, giving him the most heart wrenching and deathly gaze. Byakuya's jaw set once again, the few people who were sitting near the elder shifted in their seat uncomfortably, moving as far away from Byakuya's line of sight as fast as possible.

The elder who sat there visibly began to collapse, his eyes unable to look away from the icy stare. The mere weight of Byakuya's eyes on him was rendering him senseless. Suddenly Byakuya turned away, back towards the door. Before he exited, he spoke one final time,

"Our reputation is based on respect, clearly something you lack. Now if you will excuse me, you have made me late, _again_, for my wife."

He made his way to a small chamber located on a corner of the estate, very close to where her favorite garden was kept. As he strode along the corridors, he could feel a cool breeze caress his cheek, a few Sakura petals caught in its wake.

_"My you have a way with words… I haven't seen you give that glare to someone since Ichimaru Gin. That's probably why his eyes are shut tight all of the time; he's scared to look at anyone anymore."_

His set jaw loosened and he whispered in his mind to Senbonzakura,

"He needed to be put in his place. I will not tolerate the members of my family disrespecting me like that. My wife included. Was I wrong to say what I did?" Senbonzakura was the only one he could question his own actions with, at least without making a mockery of himself.

_"No, and I agree they that they are as stuffed up as they act. But there are rules to follow if you are to act a noble."_

"The rules be damned. I do what I am supposed to, and I deal with the clan as I must."

_"But did you forget the promise you made to your father?"_

Byakuya stopped. He hadn't forgotten the promise he had made, but he didn't think that Hisana applied to it.

"I promised to uphold the Kuchiki family honor and reputation. I have always treated my family with respect, though they have never regarded me as anything but—"

_"I know, but do you really think that marrying her was honoring your father?"_

"I do not believe that you are saying this as well. If you do not think that I should have married her, then why are you telling me this now?"

_"Because now you sound like you married her for a different reason."_

"I married her because I love her. She is the only real person who has ever seen me for who I really am, other than this noble façade I have to put on everyday. She makes me feel a weakness that tears me apart, but I cannot help but want more of. Why do you think I married her?" he was becoming angry now, she could hear it in his mind's voice.

_"I think you married her out of love too, you told me everyday how she made you feel. Your father would have been happy to have heard you married her out of love too, but with the away that you've been acting to your elder's it sure doesn't sound like it. I would have gotten an entirely different message out of you if I was one of them."_

"Are you saying that they think I married her to spite them?"

_"I think to the elders that you left in the conference room, that's sure what it sounded like. You need to take it easy, don't give the family your death glare anymore, and actually prove to them that you married her for the reasons you just told me. You can still uphold your family's honor, but you need to do it without making your own family angry in the process. Otherwise, you really will compromise the family's honor."_

He sighed. Always right. She was always right.

The blossom that floated next to him dropped to the floor and was whisked away by the faint breeze. As he watched it dance away, he sighed in approval before turning the corner and meeting his wife – his love – for dinner.

"My apologies for my tardiness, familial duties were required yet again." He stated as he took a bow, greeting her as he usually did.

She smiled, as always, with that smile that made him feel warm as soon as he walked in the room.

"It's never a problem, you know that Byakuya-sama. You do what you must." She replied, always so polite, always so understanding.

"Hisana, you know that I love you." He started, though sounding more like a question.

She looked back at him, almost confused; it was a rare occurrence if he ever blurted out anything that didn't sound like his usual, steely self.

She was his sure sign of weakness.

"Of course, Byakuya-sama, that's why we married, right?"

For perhaps the second time in his life, he smiled, noticeably.

The first time, was when he had met her.


	4. The Things We Dream

Sorry it took so long, but I didn't have any of those creative juices for a little while, and you know, I had life going on to... But anyway, I think this was an interesting chapter. I would love a few more reviews (other than the people who HAVE reviewed thus far, thank you VERY much), but I will take what I can get. At least people are reading this... ANYWAY! Enjoy!

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His fists gripped the sheets on his bed tightly. Though he was sleeping; dreaming – having a nightmare, he could still have normal, 'un-noble' reactions to unpleasant dreams.

He twitched; something was seriously bothering him in his sleep this time, something he could not easily wake up to. It was unusual for him to have bad dreams altogether, even if he did, he never did remember the pleasant ones.

But it was this time, as sweat began to bead on his forehead and his breathing became more erratic, that he _would_ remember a dream.

_Blackness swirled around him as he fought his way towards the shimmering white light. The darkness was swallowing him whole, suffocating him as he forced his way towards his target. No cohesive reasoning would tell him why he was trying to move towards this light, or why this crushing blackness was hammering him down, but he knew that if he didn't try to save the vulnerable little light, it would be snuffed out. The warmth that emanated from this beacon was wavering fast, and it seemed the closer he got to it, the more engulfed in black shadow the light became. _

_'Where is Senbonzakura?' he thought as he raged nearer to the light._

_He had to fight it back somehow. With no sword, his lungs fast becoming filled with that black tarry feeling, and his strength slowly waning against the shadowy tides that surrounded him, he could do nothing. __Nothing.__ But watch. Watch how the smallest glimmer of light – of hope – faded away with one wisp of that dark looming cloud. The only light that filled his eyes, that kept him searching, had been swallowed whole. _

This was when he awoke, suddenly sitting up and tearing a gasp into the fresh air that surrounded him. He could feel his hands still fisted into the sheet beneath him and how tightly he clung to them. For fear of returning to the world in his mind, he continued to clutch them, and then he trusted only his eyes to tell him where he was.

His room. In his bed. Hisana sleeping next to – not next to him…

His eyes trained on the bare spot for a moment, looking for signs of life, or even to feel her aura nearby. It was then he let go of the blanket to feel the place where she usually slept. It was still warm, but only just. The sheets had been pushed aside and she had gotten out of bed.

A muffled cough came from an adjoining room.

The muscles in his chest relaxed slightly as he could slowly feel her meek reiatsu wash over him. He had been so tense that he could not properly fix on her position.

Another cough. This time more intense.

Concern quickly replaced the anxiety that had restricted his muscles only seconds ago. He arose from his bed and walked towards the direction of the coughing.

The shoji slid aside quietly, barely making a whisper against the wood that held it in place. Behind the screen he found Hisana leaning over the sink, her hand over her mouth to muffle against another cough that shook her small frame.

His reflection in the mirror that hung in front of her on the wall caught her eye and she turned, addressing him with a strained voice.

"Byakuya-sama! Did I wake you? My humblest apologies if I did so, please forgive me." And she bowed.

He walked towards her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to lift her bent posture upright. Then he knelt in front of her, coming almost to her eyesight as she was so small.

"No, you did not. Are you alright?"

Her eyes widened suddenly, as if she had seen another emotion in his eyes that she had not expected. It was more than just concern, he seemed ailed by something.

"I could ask you the same question –" But her statement was cut short as another bout of coughing attacked her lungs, fortunately less harsh than before.

Strong arms held her body as the spasms from coughing subsided.

"—you look as though you've seen a ghost." She finished when the coughing broke.

He produced a cup with some water in it, and handing it to her; he replied "It's nothing, just a dream."

As soon as she had drank the contents of the glass, another bout of coughing struck her. Falling to her knees, she grasped at the front of her robes, clutching onto the place where her heart was.

His hands fell to her back, trying to still her from this unusual coughing fit. Never had she shown signs of sickness, but it wasn't something he was terribly worried about. People got colds, it was just the way life went sometimes, and it _was_ winter-time. But still, this sounded more than just a little cough.

"You do not sound fine; you need to go to Fourth." He stated when she had broke again and she gasped heavily for air.

"Oh Byakuya-sama, I will be fine. It's just a little cold." And all at once she started again.

_A cold.__Hmpf__ This isn't right._

"I will get your jacket; I will take you to Fourth. I am not convinced this is a mere cold." He would not take 'no' for an answer.

"Please, Byakuya-sama," She managed to speak between breaths, "I do not need to go, it's just a little coughing fit. I'm already starting to breathe better." And she took his hand and put it to her chest to feel her breathe.

The feeling of her warm palm against his knuckles and the beating heart beneath the thin fabric of her yukata was a quick reminder to him that she was _here_, she would be alright as long as he was with her, and that he could take care of her.

He nodded, satisfied to have listened to her breathe clearly for a few minutes without coughing.

"Very well. But I would still prefer you to be checked at least, tomorrow."

A nudge against his chest told him she would not protest.

"Agreed. If I go, will you tell me what happened in your dream?" she asked, looking up as she did so.

As he looked down, he met the navy orbs he knew he could never lie to. His impeccable ability to stare directly into anyone's eyes he needed to, and lie without flinching had become one of his strongest attributes. But he couldn't do that with Hisana, not that he ever need to either way, because she saw through him; rather into him.

He barely had to answer her question before she was satisfied with the answer she saw in his eyes.

"I will, but later. It is late, and you need to sleep if you are ill." He slipped an arm around her back and into the crook behind her knees and took her back to bed.

Pleased at how quickly she fell back asleep after he had tucked her in, he wandered back to the bathroom to quickly splash some water on his face. But as he went to bring the cool water to his face, he noticed a small speck of crimson shining on the tiled floor. He knelt down to the shining spot, and putting a finger to it, examining it closer.

He swallowed. A brief onset of shock smacked him in the face.

_Gods help me if she has what Ukitake-taicho has…_

He would be speaking with more than just Unohana-taicho tomorrow after Hisana went to Fourth.


	5. I'm Still Here

He showed no signs of turmoil on the outside but on the inside, the waiting was killing him. If this procedure was going to take any longer, then damn the noble lifestyle to hell, he would run in zanpakutou blazing in front of him and he would cut decorum to ribbons. Even as he stood in Unohana-taicho's office, where he would surely hear first word if anything was to happen, he could still feel himself breaking down slowly. The desire to run out of the room and find his answers at a less painstakingly slow process was certainly taking its toll.

_"Patience"_ she said, "_you will find out what you need to know soon enough."_

"You picked quite a time to tell me when to be patient. I have been waiting in this office for over an hour now. How difficult can it be to tell if she has a terminal illness?" he spoke disdainfully to Senbonzakura.

No sooner had the words passed his mind did he immediately regret saying them. He knew very well it took some time to find out. Especially if they were to be sure that she had something that serious.

It was just aggravating to know the answer. The answer to whether she would live a long, healthy, happy, fruitful life with him, or… he shook off the thought. She _would _be fine. He had taken her here to the Fourth to fix her, he was doing what he had to for her, to make sure she would receive the best treatment. He'd give up his captaincy, his _nobility_ if it meant she would be okay.

The light wind that usually accompanied Senbonzakura's conversational voice rustled his hair. _"You still don't know if it's that bad. Just breathe."_

"I believe that is easier said than done. It is not easy to await a sentence that could be damning or relieving." He ran a hand through his hair to smooth it out at the back.

Readjusting his captain's coat and the scarf on top of it, he recomposed himself in an attempt to shake off what could be inevitable. Then he felt the familiar reiatsu approach and he straightened back into his stoic shell.

He turned as Unohana-taicho graced his presence, giving a small respectful bow as she returned one of equal nature to him. As always, her ever-present matronly smile was plastered across her face in an attempt to hide the news he knew she desperately did not want to bequeath to him.

She had yet to even say a word and he knew exactly what was to transpire. _I was foolish to have had hope._

"It has been some time since I have seen you here Kuchiki-taicho. It is good to see you. How are things in Division Six? These past two years must have been most intriguing for you."

Yes, it had been two years since he had been at Fourth for a pre-captain physical. She had been there to clear him for it. It felt like it had happened only yesterday. But it didn't matter; she was stalling. She was trying to avoid what she didn't want to tell him.

But why not indulge her? It would keep his mind off of what he didn't want to hear, too.

"And you Unohana-taicho. It is always a pleasure to be in your company. These last two years as captain have been as you say, most intriguing. I have yet to find a vice-captain however, not many of the shinigami in my squad have proved useful in that area. They are incapable of producing necessary paperwork, or any organizing duties required of the vice-captain position." Now he was trying to stall for time.

Perhaps she would indulge him as well.

"I believe that the new recruits that they teach at the Academy have been trained in the 'art' of paperwork to a certain extent. Is it a possibility to look to the Academy for a vice-captain?" she suggested.

"Hmn. A possibility indeed. I have yet to return to there since I left the inner walls of the Academy. Perhaps I will have an audience with a few of the graduating students." Honestly, he had never thought about it.

Maybe some of them held promise, like he had, once upon a time.

"But I do believe, Unohana-taicho, that you did not meet me here to talk about the vacant vice-captain's seat in my division. Surely, you are here to discuss the status of my wife. I do not wish to beat about the proverbial bush any longer." His voice again became its usual monotone.

"Of course. Would you care to sit down Kuchiki-taicho?" Even still, a moment longer would not hurt.

"No, thank you. Please, proceed." He waved her off, thwarting any last chance she had at avoiding the subject.

"Very well. There is no easy way to put this, other than to say it." Just a moment longer.

"Kuchiki-taicho, your wife has an atypical case of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis." She paused.

He swallowed, his gaze wavering slightly.

"Essentially, this means that her lungs are not giving the proper amount of oxygen necessary into her bloodstream. She therefore is reduced to extreme coughing fits, chest pain, and in some cases, she may even cough up blood. " she paused again.

_Her damn pauses are not helping. _She was almost _allowing_ the information to sink in as she said it to him.

"Is there a cure?" he managed to ask.

That's when he knew he dropped an atom bomb in his own mind, not just into the conversation. Unohana averted her gaze entirely to pay particular attention to a spot behind him, in order to muster the proper words to say to him.

"I'm sorry Kuchiki-taicho, but there is not. Even with the early stages of this disease, it is hard enough to manage. But we can—"

"How long?" he interrupted.

"I'm sorry?" cocking her head to the side.

"How long does she have, in your opinion, to live?" and he fixed her a look straight in the eyes.

He wanted the absolute truth now. And he would get it one way or another.

"Two years at best. Maybe more, maybe less. It can vary from person to person, and with Hisana, given her past – "

He raised a hand to cut her off. Hearing her name stung his ears. _Hisana_.

There was something about this situation that seemed too fake, to unreal for him to comprehend. He half expected Unohana to burst out laughing and assure him it was all just a joke and that Hisana would be fine. But he knew a person like Unohana would not lie to him, not when he had been fixing a particularly intimidating glare. Who was he kidding? It didn't matter how harsh a glare he gave her, it didn't change the truth of that matter. Hisana was dying. _Dying._ And there was nothing he could do to stop it. There was no physical entity he could hack to pieces that would stop this pain from inflicting his wife, or his mind.

_He could do nothing. __Nothing.__ But watch. Watch how the smallest glimmer of light – of hope – faded away with one wisp of that dark looming cloud._

"May I see her?" he managed to stammer after a few moments.

"By all means, she is down the hall on the left. Take as much time as you need. If you have any other questions, I will be here in my office." And she bowed as he stood, again observing the formalities.

He turned and walked out of the office, towards the room down the hall and to the left.

There she sat, as prim and perfect as the day he had met her, glowing almost. How could she look this way when she knew she… how could _he_ think about such things? They still had time.

The floorboards creaked beneath his feet and she turned to face him, a beaming smile burst on her face as he appeared in the doorway.

He attempted a weak smile back at her, but failed and looked away. Swallowing another lump in his throat, he urged his feet to bring him towards her, and slowly he managed the few steps it took to reach her side. He sat down, taking her hand in his.

"So, what did she say?" she asked as a small cough followed the breaking question.

_Why? Why would you ask such a question when you already know the answer? Making me say it does not make it any better._

He set his face into his stoic noble glare, the one which he knew he could lie to anyone with, and made the feeble attempt to lie to her. _She always sees through this._

"Unohana-taicho said you will be just fine." And he even distrusted the words that came from his mouth.

Her free hand, which lay casually in her lap lifted to his cheek. Immediately with the touch, he broke into goose bumps, and could feel himself fall apart right in front of her. His other hand came up to press her warm palm onto his face, wanting her skin to melt into his.

"Liar." She whispered, smiling at him.

The heart that beat in his chest was surely about to explode. How could she be so at ease with this? Didn't she know what this was doing to him? Could she not see it on his face? Could she not feel it in his touch?

On instinct, on pure need, on want to have the gaping hole that was being ripped into his chest filled, he pulled her against him. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her for a time he could not remember, purely for the sake of keeping her scent engrained into his memory.

_Two years is not enough._

_"A lifetime is not enough."_ He heard her say. Sometimes she had a way of making the pain better, but it was not today. Nothing could make it better for him today.

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I hadn't actually thought about writing this part, but it occurred to me today that I probably should. ... So obviously I did. Err, anwyay. It's the inevitable that's all I can say. I think I still want Byakuya to have a chat with Jyuushirou, I think I might put that as the next chapter. Well, RNR!! 


	6. Against the Grain

Sorry it's long, but I think it's worth it. Certainly a moment for Byakuya. Next chapter shouldn't be so long though... well, you know what to do! So get to it!

* * *

Wind sailed through his captain's coat as he made his way past the monotonous buildings that made up the complex of Seireitei. It billowed behind him, his long aqua scarf waving gracefully after it as he made a turn. It was unusual for him to hear the fabric rustle behind him because he usually used shunpo to get from place to place, and found that he never even heard the fabric make a move as he used it. But he would not use shunpo right now. Not until he could sort some things out in his head. He needed the extra time to think.

A straightaway. Another turn. A fork to the right. Another straight. An opening; a large expanse of concrete tiles and white-washed battlements. This was just one of the many drilling zones for the divisions.

Thousands of parades of numerous shinigami that walked the corridors of the divisions occurred on these concrete deserts. Each division proudly displayed their company's insignia and number as they presented themselves to their captain; before battles and after great victories. Byakuya had been captain for two years now (as small a time as it was) and he had seen his share of drills that rivaled in number to some of the captains who had been in their post for far greater years than he had.

The number of times he had sent out the division to dispatch hollow attacks was quite impressive for a new captain. At least ten times a week, as compared to any other divisions' five times a week. No hollow attack was too small for _his _attention (which usually meant he would send out his best shinigami). It was those shinigami he took the time to train himself, with his accustomed cold precision. Those shinigami, in turn, taught the new and lower recruits. And each one passed a rigorous test before being approved of by Captain Kuchiki. If you missed a block, it hurt, and there was no remorse. You learned from your mistakes quickly or you perished.

One would think that because Byakuya trained his division himself that he would have some kind of personable relationship with them; and of course this was not so. That same cold precision he used to teach his men was used as such, and he only ever kept professional relationships with any of his men. He was not a friend among them.

To Byakuya, it was not his responsibility to be 'friends' with the men he fought alongside with. It _was_ his responsibility to lead them; and for them to obey orders without question. Friendships were not meant for the battlefield.

The only thing that came close to friendship between him and any other shinigami was that of the relationship between captains. He could relate to the other twelve captains of the Gotei Thirteen, and that put him on the same playing field with them. Discussions about discipline, paperwork, and fighting techniques were of his usual conversation, but that was about as far as he would let himself go. When it came to his or anyone else's personal life, he quickly changed topics.

But today, as Byakuya found himself passing through the Thirteenth Division's parade field, he would be breaking his own rule. A discussion with Ukitake-taichou was in order. It was this reason that kept him from using shunpo to reach Ukitake's office faster. Byakuya could not quite comprehend how to begin a conversation with his former Senpai from the Academy about recent events, pertaining particularly to Hisana.

Byakuya continued to convince himself that the reason he wanted to talk to Ukitake-taichou was because of his illness and how he worked around it. He wanted to know just how he could help Hisana do the same. But the feeling he couldn't shake off, was the underlying reason he wanted to talk to Ukitake. He needed someone else to know.

Sure he could talk with Senbonzakura about it, but even so, she was technically apart of him, so it didn't really count. Not that he wanted to offend her, but he needed a _real_ person to talk to about it. If he kept all of this inside of his head, he knew he would explode. And since Ukitake _was_ his Senpai (well, he knew most about him other than his family) he was probably the best person he could think of.

_Gods forbid ever trying to tell my family about this._

The all too familiar insignia of the Thirteenth glared at him from above its mildly pitched roof as he approached. Two guards stood in attention near the gate below it, bowing lowly as he passed by them. The smooth, polished surface of the wooden floorboards was warm beneath his feet as the sun beat down on it. A few of Thirteenth's shinigami were training on an expanse of grass on the inside of the compound, one pair were training in kidou, another in hand to hand combat.

He stopped for a moment, watching the pair training in kidou, one of them attempting to execute a double incantation. They were failing miserably. The shinigami murmuring the incantations had managed at least part of the first spell, but the second one was slowly going out of control. The ball of kidou that was in his hand gradually grew bigger, bigger than he could handle and it was close to exploding right in front of his face.

Without even hesitating, Byakuya stepped off the porch that he was walking on and quickly threw his reiatsu around the shinigami. He was calm, almost causal as he let his spirit energy engulf the man. The recruit's eyes widened as he saw the threatening ball of kidou disappear into his hand. The shinigami opposite him backed away as he saw Byakuya walk towards them. The few other shinigami that were watching the spectacle had ducked as they saw the menacing ball grow, knowing that it surely would have exploded. After a few moments, and upon not hearing the presumed 'boom', they rose slightly, watching the captain contain the poor recruit's reiatsu.

The shinigami sank to his knees panting as his kidou was finally dispersed. Byakuya walked only a step closer to him and looked down at him, waiting for him to respond to what had just occurred. His jaw set in its usual slight annoyance. _How can these recruits still not know how to control things like this? Ukitake needs to keep a better eye on his men._

The shinigami finally looked up to see his rescuer and his eyes widened to see that it was a _captain_, not just a captain, but captain _Kuchiki_ that had kept him from blowing himself up. He quickly sank into a bow,

"Kuchiki-taichou! Thank you for helping me sir! I am most grateful for—" but he was cut off.

"Stand up."

"Wh-what sir? I mean. Uh, yes sir!" trembling slightly, he managed to stand on both feet.

"You could have killed yourself attempting such a move. That was most irresponsible. Never attempt kidou that you are not confident in, has Ukitake-taichou taught you nothing?" and suddenly Byakuya stood sideways towards the opponent that was once the other shinigami's.

"Y-yes sir. I should have known better sir." He stammered.

"Think only of your target when beginning an incantation. Think of each word. See it clearly in your mind." And silently he began the binding spell of the 'six rod light restraint', interspersed with 'shot of red flame'.

The shinigami who stood opposite Byakuya and his comrade was suddenly picked up by six bars of light around his midsection and hung there. Then as he saw the familiar glow of 'shot of red flame' he became extremely nervous. As he braced for the impact (though how much could it do against a captain's kidou), he instead felt a huge hot gush of air fly past his face. He looked down on himself after the wind had blown past, yes he was still there, but only slightly singed on one side. Byakuya had purposely missed.

Byakuya dropped the shinigami to the ground as he let the spell in his mind disperse. The shinigami who stood next to him was wide-eyed.

"Th-thank you Kuchiki-taichou! That was the most amazing kidou I have ever seen!" he exclaimed as he stood awe-struck.

"Hm. Clearly you have not seen enough examples. The kidou I produced was simple in nature. If you cannot recite something so rudimentary then you have no business being here. Practice more before you go disappointing Ukitake-taichou." He muttered, finally turning away and resumed his previous course towards Ukitake's office.

_"My, that was inspiring. Let's encourage them with an awesome display of our own skills and then make them feel foolish when we tell them how easy it was. How many times have I told you that you'll never get through to people that way?" _

Excellent timing, as always.

"What business is it of yours, the methods on how I teach?I told him how to execute it properly. Do not interfere with me Senbonzakura—" his jaw set again, he didn't have time for this. He was but feet from Ukitake's office.

_"Or what?__ You'll ignore me? I hate to tell you, but I'm apart of you – and you're stuck with me. But for now, I will let you go, since you've got a lot on your mind… You need to concentrate on things like, __hm__, your wife and what time you have left with her. Never mind all of the other things that you _should _be doing as a captain." _

He stopped, just before turning the corner and rounding on the shoji that led to Ukitake.

"You sarcasm is unappealing. You have no right to discuss things that do not concern you."

_"You _do_ forget quickly, I _am apart _of you_. _Everything you do concerns me as well, and from what it looks like, you're on the road to falling apart because your wife is dying. How do you think she'd feel if she knew that you were being even more 'you' than usual on her account?"_

Kuchiki Byakuya was never seen angry. He was never even seen mildly upset. He had only ever been seen annoyed. But right now, in the span of less than twenty seconds, Senbonzakura had managed to get him to go far passed annoyed, upset, and angry straight to pissed-off.

In his minds' eye, he fixed Senbonzakura with his trademark ice glare, this time mixed with venom comparable to Kurotsuchi Mayuri's Bankai. Though he never tolerated talk of this nature, she was _still_ right to an extent. That was what made him the angriest.

"We shall be discussing this _later_. For now, I am requesting that _you_ keep your thoughts to yourself so that I am able to have a proper conversation without your interjection. But I will leave you with this; try trading places with me one day, and _perhaps_ you can see exactly what it is like to go through the kind of physical and mental pain that accompanies slowly losing the only person who ever saw you for who you really are. Then, _maybe_, one day you will understand. I am doing the best that I know how to do. And if that entails becoming more 'me' as you put it, then so be it. Why else would I go talk to Ukitake-taichou if I did not know how to handle this situation?"

She made to interject in his speech, but he silenced her again, wishing an end to their painful argument.

"No, no more. Today, I have had enough." He blinked his eyes shut, and removed Senbonzakura from his belt.

He just couldn't bring himself to talk to her about his flaws right now; not when he had someone so much more important to think about.

With Senbonzakura dangling loosely in his fingers, he rounded the corner, slid open the shoji, and walked in.

* * *

"Kuchiki-san? What brings you to Thirteenth? Please, please come in." said the white-haired shinigami, motioning to a chair in front of his desk.

Byakuya looked at the chair a moment, breathed deeply, and strode forward. He sat himself down in the chair, his back straight showing his poise. He set Senbonzakura in front of him on the desk, a good distance away so he would not have to make contact with her thoughts. A moment passed where he didn't speak and he only looked into Ukitake's eyes, deciding he would wait until Ukitake spoke first.

"So, it's been some time since we've talked last Kuchiki-san, is there anything on your mind? You don't usually come by without announcing yourself." He inquired, interlacing his fingers together on his desk.

_Ukitake doesn't miss a thing._ Fortunately, he had thought about that before he got there.

"Need I have reason to stop by and speak with you, Senpai?"

_Skirt the subject; always keep up the barrier between people. Only let them know as much as they need to, and eventually go in for the kill without them ever noticing you've made the strike. The key is, let them lead the conversation. You'll get what you need out of them in due time._ This was Byakuya's strategy when it came to coaxing out any and all information out of people, instead of taking the drastic road of being blunt, or beating them senseless until they divulged everything they knew. It was far less threatening, but so much more effective if he did it his way.

"No, of course not. You know you can always come talk to me." A simple hand gesture and his trademark smile said it all.

"Tea?" the elder shinigami asked, pointing at a small steaming tea-pot in front of him.

Byakuya returned with a small nod of approval and took the mug of tea from him as it was offered.

A muffled crash was heard outside the office, followed by a few shrieks and a rather high pitched giggle. As both captains looked towards the door, a moderately low male voice and quick footsteps came running after those who had caused the ruckus.

Ukitake sighed, slightly exasperated, "The new recruits, at it again. I've been trying to get Kaien to discipline them more, but they're like children. Honestly. But I don't know what they'd do if he wasn't here doing _something_. I will give it to them though, they certainly know how to make a proper distraction." And he smiled weakly.

"Hm." Byakuya began. "And some do not seem to know how to control their kidou still. They need better training. One of your said recruits nearly incinerated himself with a double incantation." He went back to sipping his tea.

"Why am I not surprised. That's probably Shinobu who was doing that. He's been hell-bent on trying to make it work ever since he heard that you _could_ do double incantations. I trust he didn't hurt himself or anyone else too badly?" he asked inquiringly.

Looking up from his tea, he began slowly, "No harm was done. I dampened his reiatsu before it went out of control. Shortly after, I proceeded in teaching him how to accomplish it properly. Though, I agree he should not be attempting such a move without confidence. He should be put in his place for thinking he had such skill." He replied, looking up into Ukitake's eyes.

Somehow, he always had a knack for making his intentions clear without even uttering the words directly.

'_You need to get a better hold of your men, Ukitake_'were what his eyes said.

Ukitake smirked, "Hm." Was all he could mange after a moment before retorting, "But how is your search for a vice-captain fairing?"

It was only fair of him to bring up something like that and two could play this little game.

Byakuya sipped his tea again before answering, "It is of no particular delight, and it has been difficult in working with officers who understand office-work at a substandard level. I do manage to keep them in line however." He shot a quick glance toward Ukitake's direction.

Somewhere in his mind he knew he was beginning to act opposite of how he wanted this meeting to unfold, so he backed off.

"But, the search has been fruitless thus far. Unohana-taichou made an excellent recommendation that I look into the academy for a possible vice-captain."

Maybe Ukitake could have the satisfaction of knowing he wasn't doing all that particularly… well. Wasn't that the reason he was there in the first place?

Ukitake sipped his tea, looking up over the rim of it as Byakuya made his second comment, and his eyebrows raised as Byakuya finished. Nodding in agreement, he replied, "Yes, I would agree with that sentiment. Unohana-taichou always seems to find the right answer for any ailment."

Beyond perfect timing, Ukitake coughed as he finished his sentence.

_No better time than to ask now_.

Byakuya waited as another harsh cough attacked Ukitake's lungs. Ukitake pushed himself away from the desk for a moment, holding a cloth in his hand over his mouth. It stopped shortly after, and he put the cloth away into his pocket. He winced slightly, and grabbed for his tea. After downing a portion of it, Byakuya decided he would ask then.

"Senpai, do you find it difficult to manage your captaincy with your… illness?"

Ukitake stopped for a moment, fixing Byakuya with raised eyebrows. Byakuya looked back at him, the slightest of creases in his brow told him that Byakuya was aiming for something else with the answer that he was going to provide. He would play along of course, and he would possibly find out what little thing it was the noble had up his sleeve.

"Not always. Most days I am able to do what I have to, take care of the division, train the troops, attend to official business, visit with Kyoraku-taichou… Though it seems these days I'm usually dragging him back to his division as he's passed out drunk on my shoulder. But there are days when it is bad, and on those days I usually tend to myself and have my lieutenant take care of things for me on the division's end. Though I hate being left alone on those days, it is best for others that I am. I do not wish to spread what I have onto others."

A nod of approval. "Do you ever find it a problem during battle?"

Ukitake cocked his head to the side slightly, "No, fortunately it has never crossed me during a battle yet. I wonder Kuchiki-san, why it is you are asking me these questions after knowing me so long now?"

He wasn't caught yet, not by a long shot.

"I merely ask because I have never asked you about yourself before now."

That didn't come out like it was supposed to.

Another raised eyebrow. "Kuchiki-san, you are not one to get personable with anyone. This has been a fact of life for you, and now – out of the blue I might add – you are asking a sick man how he copes with being sick. You don't just go from one extreme to another without something happening to you that is drastic. What is it that's really going on?"

Okay, maybe now he was caught. But he already had a majority of the information that he needed, and thought it was high time he left. Byakuya made to get up, taking Senbonzakura with him.

"I don't think so; please, take a seat. It seems we absolutely have some things we need to discuss." Said the older shinigami.

Byakuya fixed him a frigid stare and prayed he would be able to get out of this situation before it got any worse. But Ukitake was prepared and he received Byakuya's glare with a mild smirk. Crossing his arms, he nodded to the seat that Byakuya was previously sitting in, and waited for him to return to it.

He couldn't sit anymore, nor could he take 'talking' to someone about Hisana when he felt as though he would fall through the floor at any moment. He turned away from the older captain, and decided he would at least give him some kind of gratitude for answering his questions.

"Ukitake-taichou. Senpai, my wife, Hisana, is sick. Her illness is similar to yours, but hers is a terminal one. I came here in hopes of finding some way of easing her pain, as you do for yourself. But I do not wish to speak to you any longer about this matter, and I would appreciate your discretion in not divulging this information to anyone else. Thank You," he swallowed, "For your time." With that, he pulled open the shoji and left.

Ukitake sat at his desk for a good while after Byakuya had gone; still trying to take in the information he was left with. His brow crumpled under the thoughts, his fingertips stroked his smooth chin. He didn't marvel over how Kuchiki Byakuya had _finally_ said something about himself other than work. He didn't think twice about how Kuchiki Byakuya had thought about someone other than himself. And the funniest part of all, he didn't even bother to think about how _Kuchiki Byakuya_ had acted unlike his usual cold, stoic, noble self, or even how his voice wavered slightly when he said his wife's name.

The only thing that crossed his mind…

_How can things like this happen to men like us?_


	7. A Punch to the Gut

Sorry it took so long guys, I am not losing my interest in this story, just life ya know... gets in the way. Work to do, people to see, Bleach to watch/read... the usual. Anyway. I hope you like this one, I think it's a rather interesting tidbit. I honestly think it could have happened... makes sense if you think about it. REVIEW PLEASE!!

* * *

_Damn it. Third time in a row. This is madness; she is going to drive herself to the grave sooner than she should._

A terrible thought of course, but as his hand felt the empty mattress next to him, he thought it was about time he put a stop to it… or _something_.

* * *

Now that she was sentenced to this terrible fate, all aspects of her life seemed to speed up. Daily tasks were repeated numerous times, just to make sure everything was done efficiently.

She spent one part of her time in her garden; no weed was left un-plucked, nor flower left un-pruned. Every single rock that rested on the bank of the coy pond was reset first by color, and then by size. Then later even a mix of the two.

When she wasn't tending to her garden with the utmost intensity that may have even rivaled Byakuya on occasion, another part of her time was spent reading. She had by now pored through almost every book and scroll that they had in the private Kuchiki library. She had started on the collection some time before she had been diagnosed, but she never thought she would need to read them all so quickly.

Family history, theory on war, philosophy, religion, the history on Soul Society, and even the occasional kidou manual (of which she found particularly useful, and had even attempted her hand at it) were among the subjects she read. Monstrous tomes, separated scrolls, dusty maps and floor plans; the collection was positively _ancient. _But day in and day out she always managed to find her way to the library and drown herself in its knowledge.

She even had a few of the Kuchiki elder's heads turning her direction, highly amused that she was taking such an interest in their family collection. And by now, she had managed to win a few of them over with her charm, just as Byakuya said she would. But Hisana wasn't doing it to impress them. She did it to keep her sanity when she couldn't find what she had been looking for ever since the day she had married Byakuya.

She spent the majority of her time away from the sanctity of her garden, the tranquility of books, the warmth of her husband's embrace, to search the dusty and decrepit shacks that made up the 80 districts of Rukongai, for something of the highest importance to her.

And of course, it was this something she refused to divulge to Byakuya.

* * *

This is what ailed him. The fact that she spent most of her waking hours looking for this unknown thing, not even telling him what it was, _and _she refused to remain still and rest. She was always moving, even though she and Byakuya knew her body wouldn't take it. As far as she was concerned, she was racing against the clock searching for a needle in a haystack.

_A losing battle…_

Hisana insisted that what she was looking for had nothing to do with him. It was a burden only she had to bear. She refused to make it his business, it was a promise that only she needed to keep.

Byakuya felt no need to keep his wife from a promise, which was indeed something he understood quite well. Promises were not something to trifle with, and he was no exception in trying to keep someone from fulfilling their promise.

But the promise that she was making was _suicide_.

This is what spurred him now, after waking up this morning and not finding her asleep next to him for the third night in a row, to go out and either help her, or bring her back.

After dressing and wrapping himself in a dust cloak, he lifted Senbonzakura from her usual place on the shelf. Strapping her to his belt, her light and airy voice whispered to him.

"_You don't think she's—"_ Senbonzakura began.

Byakuya didn't even give it a second thought, "No, I don't think she has."

Saying it would mean it happened. And he wasn't going to admit it. Besides, she was a fighter, if her sickness flared up, she would have returned.

_But what if she was too far to return?_

He quickly pushed the thought from his mind, and flash stepped his way out of the Kuchiki estate.

* * *

Byakuya didn't usually walk around the 80 districts of Rukongai often. It wasn't a place he felt a noble like him should meander.

Being there now was no different.

The eyes that followed his movement though the 78th district did not frighten him, nor did he purposely intimidate anyone else. He even kept his reiatsu dampened to its fullest, not only did he not want to intimidate, he did not want to be responsible for making any of the people around him pass out. They weren't used to someone of his reiatsu all the time.

As he made his way through the maze of wooden shacks and the occasional group of people, he managed to find at least two people who happened to have seen Hisana walk their way. Though for some reason, they seemed highly displeased with her for even showing her face. They mumbled things about stealing food, two-timing them to allow her to stay the night, and borrow clothing that she never returned.

He was vexed by their statements, the _only _two that he could get.

_Why would she need to borrow clothes? Steal food? She has money. This can't be the same person._

No sooner had he finished the thought he heard one of the people, an inn keeper he interrogated, scream.

"Hey YOU!! Get back here! You owe me money for what you stole! GET BACK HERE _NOW!!_"

He caught the quickest of glimpses of the person that was being screamed at. The mental checklist went off immediately:

Petite; four feet, eight inches tall.

Ebony hair, flows like silk.

Eyes, blue (as far as he could tell, he was very far away), with an expression that almost breaks your heart it appears to be so sad. But her eyes emanate a glow that makes you forget all about the sadness.

All of the traits checked out, and for the split second it took him to register them, he had already taken off after her.

Shunpo would be the fastest, but he had made a promise to her long ago that he would never display any battle tactics in front of her, so he kept to running. And he was still good at that at least.

She made her way into an abandoned shack, crawling under a few boards that were loose on the side. Byakuya saw her retreat and made to enter through an opposite side. Dust was kicked up everywhere; he could barely see her run past in a puff of dry dirt. She went in one end of the shack and out the other. He missed grabbing her cloak by mere inches.

The inn keeper who had been chasing her attempted to follow the same path she had taken to get into the shack. Only he had gotten stuck in the mouse-sized hole and was now attempting to back his way out of it. Byakuya looked at him, pitiful thing that it was, and fired the weakest kidou spell he knew at the boards. They disintegrated instantly, and the inn keeper discontinued his struggle. He stood, dusting himself off, and stared at Byakuya in shock.

Byakuya pulled out a small sack of coins and handed it to the inn keeper.

"Discontinue your search and never speak of this incident to anyone. Allow me to search for her."

The inn keeper only nodded, and Byakuya was gone again.

He took off in the direction she had left the building, disintegrating a few more boards in the process.

Looking down the street, he caught sight of the tiniest puff of dust settling and went after its direction. He caught up to her quickly, and once she realized she had another person pursuing her, she ducked into another shack.

_Why does she keep running?_

Byakuya was becoming more perplexed after participating in the running and ducking act, wondering exactly why his wife was trying to avoid him. Something had obviously changed in the past three days.

After the fourth set of shacks, his attention span was wearing thin and the need to use shunpo was becoming more and more enticing.

But on approaching the fifth shack, her cloak caught on a nail and he heard her whimper in her knowing defeat. He caught up, and grabbing her arms, swung her around to face him.

"Let me go you big oaf! What do you want with me!? I didn't do anything! Let me GO!!"

Byakuya's brow instantly crinkled into a frown.

_Scratch checklist item number three. Eyes, violet. Expression is that of determination and the slightest hint of anger with a fire burning deeply behind those wary orbs._

He could only stare in bewilderment. She looked… exactly like her. How was this possible?

A small flare of light erupted from the girl's hand and Byakuya was too slow and confused to block it. His abdomen had been singed slightly, and his clothes were smoldering. He hissed in pain and the girl managed to twist out of his grasp. She shot another ball of energy at his feet, causing more dust to kick up and for him to go blind.

Returning to his feet, coughing out the dirt from his lungs, and rubbing the spot where she had burnt him, all bets were off. Now he was going to use shunpo and whatever methods he had to, to get her back.

Byakuya didn't know why he hadn't sensed it until now, but she had the slightest trace of spirit energy. He could follow that and that would lead him to her.

He turned down another street and took off like a shot. The alley banked towards the right, through another shack, up onto a roof, and back down, landing on a main road. She was leading him towards a main road probably to lose him. He followed willingly, and suddenly the signature of her reiatsu changed courses, but no. He saw her straight ahead, _walking _away.

The look of surprise on her face when he caught up with her was priceless. After spinning her around and flash stepping her into another alley, he set her down kicking and screaming.

He grasped her arms again, and took note of yet another fault.

_Her eyes are not violet, they are blue._

This time his look of shock was the priceless one.

Finding that her assailant was her husband, Hisana ceased her barrage of little fists against his chest.

"Byakuya-sama! What in all of Seireitei are you doing here?!"

No words, he thought, could even begin to describe what was going on.

Her expression quickly changed to that of concern, and she hugged him tightly. "Gods, I'm sorry I haven't been home! I've gotten a lead and I was so close I thought, I couldn't come back without finding…"

But he stopped her, pulling her away a fraction.

"Your twin?" he stated slowly.

This was the third priceless look of the day.

"How…? How do you…?" but he just shook his head.

"I am certain that I have chased her through half of the streets through this district. Hisana, why did you not tell me? I could have helped you search."

And now he realized that the reiatsu that he was chasing, Hisana's twin was gone.

"Byakuya-sama… I—" and a violent cough had struck.

She sank to her knees gripping his robes tightly, and she quaked with each passing cough. Byakuya quickly dropped to hold onto her as she collapsed on the ground. Blood splattered onto the dirt in little pools, creating reddish mud. He turned her on her side and tried to bring her into his lap. The coughing became more violent, and it stained his hands crimson.

Byakuya's eyes widened; staring at his _wife's_ blood on his hands, he barely even noticed his own shaking over her own trembling body. He looked up suddenly, trying to find someone, anyone to help. And finding none, he truly felt…

_Helpless._

* * *

Bursting through the doors to Fourth division, Unohana-taichou and numerous attendants were at Byakuya's side immediately transferring Hisana from his arms to a stretcher. The bustle of bodies, the scent of herbs, bloodied clothing being tossed away, and the glaring light from Unohana-taichou's healing kidou almost made him dizzy. Watching his wife lay almost lifeless on the stretcher, exhausted from coughing, unable to breath in oxygen without losing half of herself in the process; it became too much for him to bear.

But still he stayed, watching how intently Unohana-taichou performed her techniques, grunting in frustration when her healing reiatsu could not find the source to Hisana's disease, and breathing a sigh of relief when she was finally able to get her lungs to take in a few gulps of fresh air.

One of the attendants finally managed to shuffle Byakuya out of the tiny room in which they worked. And for nearly three hours he sat, with his head in his hands, waiting for Unohana-taichou to come out and tell him it was over.

"_Not over. Never over. I still have hope. She's a fighter, just like you said. She won't give up so easily."_ Her wispy voice played over his ears like water over a rock.

"I know she will not. And I pray she stays with me for as long as she can. I do not know what I would do without her, but I cannot take her suffering like she is. She does not deserve this, Senbonzakura." He could feel tears coming, slowly welling up behind his eyes.

Kuchiki Byakuya, in all his noble glory and precision, was beginning to crack.

* * *

So... review yes? You would make me very happy.


	8. Gods, it Burns

I don't know where this little blurb came from. I just decided it kind of fit as a precursor to the chapter coming up. It's kind of just filler too I guess... biding time until I finish the next chapter. Oh, and just incase you hadn't figured it out yet, anything that's in quotes and italics is Senbonzakura speaking. If it gets confusing, let me know.

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_A Brief Jump Forward_

The Sakura petals that covered his desk quickly dissolved as the soft tap of someone knocking on his office door brought him out of his reverie. He collected himself quickly, replacing his stoic mask abruptly back onto his face and squinted his eyes shut for a brief moment to dispel all of his mesmerizing thoughts. A deep breath and it was all gone.

"Come in." he stated, sitting up.

Byakuya glanced quickly towards the door, gazing towards where the head of a normal person's height would be. Upon not finding a taller being standing there, his gaze shifted down to find a rather short, dark haired, violet eyed sister standing there instead. He breathed deeply again, averting his cold stare back down towards his paperwork.

_She_ was weighing heavy on his mind today, and therefore he could not look at her. The quickest glance in her direction made his heart skip beats that made him uncomfortable. Even though he knew Rukia wasn't _her_, it still hurt to look her direction and not believe that _she_ was haunting him. And it nearly ruined him that _she_ had asked him to look after her sister with care and brotherly devotion. But how could he do that and not be reminded? Rukia was not Hisana, but it broke his heart to see the form of his wife manifested before him, and not have the same soul beneath.

Another sharp frustrated sigh parted his throat. He could sense Rukia cower slightly, acting almost ashamed for having presented herself before him.

"Nii-sama?" she asked meekly.

"Yes." He replied.

"It has been required of me to take a month long mission to the real world, on routine hollow dispatching. My orders are to be carried out immediately, but I thought…" she trailed off a little, wavering in her words.

He shuffled a few papers on his desk, showing his impatience. She hurried up her statement, fidgeting a little.

"Rather, Ukitake-taichou requested I tell you, for details' sake."

Byakuya did not reply for a moment, rather thinking to himself that he would be having another word with the Thirteenth Division Captain. Rukia was not _supposed_ to leave Ukitake's sight again after… _that_ incident with the hollow and his vice-captain. He and the older captain had made an agreement a long time ago that Rukia would be placed out of harm's way. But of course this was foolish thinking; one does not join the Gotei Thirteen and not fight. It was this reason that made it even harder for him to carry out _her_ promise.

Realizing that he would be getting nowhere with this kind of rationality, he made a small nod of approval and the quickest of glances towards his sister. She bowed deeply, turned and made her way back towards the door, when he took her by surprise.

"The real world is not for fun and games, do not be careless." His graceful baritone immediately stopped her in her tracks.

She turned again, a little stunned, but bowed again and stepped out of the office pulling the door with her.

"_I believe the saying goes: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. In your case, we're going to need a _lot _more tries."_

…He thought his advice was just fine.

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A _tiny_ bit of humor for you there. Senbonzakura tends to try and get Byakuya out of his deep depressions and other little tangents that he starts to run off with, so she's kind of like his happy medium. She's always the on who's right too... and as we saw in another chapter, Byakuya gets a little pissy at that. Hehe, well I find it funny. Review! Or don't, cause this chapter was short.


	9. Origins of a Beautiful Mistake

Yet again, I apologize for this taking so long. I had a HUGE project to work on, so that really detracted from me getting this done. I really hope it was worth the wait. I want to thank the few people who have reviewed this story, for I have a feeling I'm boeing the hell out of the rest of you... well, it will be over soon. Review!

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'Still' was what could best describe the evening air outside the Fourth Division's medical wards. The sun was just under the row of trees off in the distance, setting the sky with deep reds and oranges fading to dark blues and purples. Small songbirds chirped their last few notes of day-songs before flying off to their nests and care for their young. The usual rumble that accompanied falling buildings from the Eleventh Division compound had finally died down.

'Peaceful' perfectly described said medical wards, as they were usually filled with wounded shinigami. The day had been slow altogether; a little stomach-ache from a Twelfth Division member, an overly intoxicated Eight Division member, but overall no major battles or scrapes from any of the more blood-thirsty divisions broke out.

'Calm' could describe the few healers that sat at stations throughout the wards. One healer sat with his hands folded, leaning back into his chair on the brink of dozing off. Another healer was poring over the charts of two patients that had a bit of an odd run in with a slime-spitting hollow. A third healer was reading up on the latest book of healing herbs. Every so often his eyes would peek over the top of his book to stare down the hallway to where he'd seen his Captain go with a patient he'd never heard of or seen before. They didn't wear shinigami robes (which wasn't anything new, they'd had plenty non-shinigami come into Fourth before), but the degree at which this person was attended to was near that of a seated officer. What's more, the Sixth Division Captain had accompanied them, and he was now seated outside the room of the patient, his head in his hands.

No placid word could describe what was going on in the Sixth Division Captain's mind right now, as it was beyond grief stricken that he could have lost his wife if he had not acted quickly. The thoughts that continued to weigh down on him were beginning to visibly show, even after all of his practice and hard work at keeping his emotions at bay. The pounding in his chest, the ripping he could feel happening with every breath he took; no wound he'd ever received bodily could compare to this.

_What if I hadn't left when I did?_

_Why didn't I stop her from going?_

_What if she'd collapsed and I wasn't there?_

_Where would she be now if…_

_What if…_

He was broken out of his thoughts by a gentle hand on his shoulder. He didn't even feel the reiatsu coming.

"Kuchiki-taichou. She's asking for you." Unohana's voice came out as clear as a bell even through the haze of his misery.

Byakuya took a moment to process the words before looking up at her and nodding. He stood slowly, the weight of his question-filled mind keeping him down, but Unohana helped him with a firm grip on his forearm. She straightened the collar of his haori before smiling at him and blinking towards the door that led to his wife.

"Thank you… Retsu-san." He said after turning around. He pushed the door aside and walked in.

He did his best to hide the strain in his face as he approached her bedside. She lay reclined slightly on a bed closest to the window in a corner of the room. Hisana was deathly pale, and looked even smaller than usual as she lay on the bed. Her ebony hair and her glowing azure eyes even seemed to have lost their luster. The white hospital sheet draped over her little form did not aid to her colorlessness.

He pulled a chair up close to her bed, but made no motion to touch her.

She could barely breathe, and he could barely even feel her reiatsu pulse, so he backed his off greatly to feel her, even if he was wary to touch her, gods forbid she break.

"Don't" she said softly in response, "I feel cold without it."

When he let it go again, it came out at a slow pace, and she could sense the pain she was causing him in his reiatsu. It was unbearable, the throbbing rhythm his spirit energy made, all because he couldn't live without her.

Hisana's breathing staggered a bit and she fell forward into a strained cough.

Byakuya's face crinkled in despair as he leaned in to help her sit up placing a sturdy hand on her back and another on her arm. As she sat up and finished her cough, he made to pull away but she stopped him with what little grip she could muster by sliding her fingers between his.

Byakuya looked down at their entwined fingers noting how much smaller her hands were compared to his. How the little pads of her fingers barely grasped at the backs of his knuckles and the way her palm only covered half of his. She was petite, but it was her hands that gave him his best memories of her.

The way she placed a cup of tea in front of him when she first served him at the teahouse she worked at.

The way she cautiously put her shaking hand in his after getting knocked over by thugs that attacked her. He swiftly defeated them when he found her being tormented in the alleyway behind the same teahouse she worked at.

The way she thanked him with a quick touch to his forearm after walking her home that same night.

The way she picked a cherry blossom that had freshly fallen to the ground and put it in her hair on their first date.

The way her little fists beat against his chest when he scared her nearly to death after sneaking up on her with shunpo.

The way her fingers tangled in his hair with their first kiss.

The way she touched his hand on top of his that clung tightly to a sword that had just revealed its name, because of her inspiration.

The way she clung to him, flushed and sweating, after finally making love to him.

The way she hugged him once he graduated the Academy and joined the ranks of shinigami.

The way she wiped tears from her face because it meant that he was leaving her.

The way she shook when he told her that he would keep coming back to her.

The way her hands trembled in his when he asked her to marry him.

The way she held his face in her hands and kissed him in congratulations of his promotion to captaincy.

And now, the way her fingers dug into his robes when her body was wracked with tormenting coughs, fighting for oxygen to keep herself alive.

Byakuya's thumb absently rolled across her little hand, smiling at all of the memories before she was diagnosed. So many happy memories; he couldn't think of any memory that was good and didn't have her in it. Without her, nothing in his life made sense, nothing brought him joy.

The life he had before he met Hisana was drab, monotonous; filled with rules and schedules and everything that pertained to being the 'perfect' role model that was the Kuchiki way. She danced into his life like the Sakura petals that made up his zanpakutou, adding a splash of color to his monochrome world of blacks and whites.

_But now… now that world was fading… _He did still have time with her, he would say to himself, but what would he do when she… when Hisana wouldn't…

"I'm sorry." She finally said, breaking him out the thoughts that continued to plague his mind.

"For what?" he asked, confused. "You have nothing you should be apologizing for."

She smiled bitterly, but spoke again quietly. "For not telling you about Rukia, for not letting you help me, for this sickness that is tearing you and I apart. It is my fault for having abandoned Rukia, and it is for that reason why I have this ailment."

Byakuya's confusion only heightened, he could not surmise the meanings behind her words and it showed on his face. He made to speak, to ask her to explain, but she needn't be asked.

"It is a long story, one that I have never spoken of." She said.

"It is indeed something I am not proud of, but it is an unfortunate thing that I had to do." She swallowed and took a breath as deep as she could take.

"I don't quite remember the circumstances, but Rukia and I died together in the living world, with her in my arms. The shinigami that sent us to Rukongai somehow managed to get us to go together; as I'm sure you know families that die somehow split apart. But something about Rukia and my spirit energy was so similar that we were read as one, and we stayed together.

"We were sent to Inuzuri, the 78th district, and it was not easy for me when we arrived. I was young and weak and there were many predators lurking constantly in the shadows. Nights were freezing, days were sweltering, and the constant threat of being attacked was always looming. Having Rukia by my side to protect did not make it any easier. I managed from time to time to find or steal food and water, and that was always how we lived. Constantly running away from people whom I stole from, running from people who tried to force themselves on me, running from the cold and the heat, the starvation, it was unbearable Byakuya-sama.

"One night, after wandering into one of the higher districts, I managed to find a teahouse to work at. Yes, the one that you eventually met me at. They told me I could stay there, but that in order for me to do so, I would have to leave Rukia behind. The keeper of the house didn't have room enough for a baby as well. But I couldn't just leave her, and I pleaded with him to let me keep her with me. She was my sister for god's sake.

"He delivered his ultimatum the next day; 'lose the kid, or go get lost yourself'. I went to one of the lower end districts the next day, and left her on the stoop of an inn keeper's house." Hisana bowed her head slightly, her fist crumpling tightly into the sheet.

"It was either give myself a chance at living, or kill us both. It was the most difficult decision of my life, and I made it. I prayed every night that I had made the right choice. I had even gone back later that night to see if Rukia was still there, or if she had been harmed. And when I did, the inn keeper told me a child with spiky red hair had found her and taken her.

"I vowed that as soon as I had made enough money to keep us both alive, I would find her and we would be together again. But it wasn't for a few years that I was able to start looking. The night that you found me out behind the teahouse was one of the times I had gone to find her."

She lifted her head somewhat, catching his eyes. If it were at all possible, he thought he saw the slightest bit of color reach her face.

"Though Rukia was always on some part of my mind, you took up the other part ever since that day. After going through what I had been through, you became the easiest part of my life; and by far the most enjoyable."

Hisana smiled at him, squeezing the hand that was still interlocked with hers.

"But what has made this entire endeavor difficult is the blame I put on myself for abandoning Rukia. Unohana-taichou and I believe hat blame and guilt became something dark and twisted and it manifested itself, becoming this disease I carry. It came not long after I left Rukia, and it will never go away, because I will never be able to forgive myself for what I did to her.

"But you mustn't look at me like that. There is nothing you could have done to prevent this, or stop it. It is something that was supposed to happen. Byakuya-sama, this time with you has been the best part of my life, and as long as I am still well I will continue to be with you."

Byakuya swallowed, he wanted very much for this time between them to last as long as possible. She too was by far the best part of his life. He could do nothing but smile back at her, difficult as it was to vocalize the things that swirled around in his head.

A warm wind lightly blew through the two of them, a few Sakura petals materializing out of thin air.

"_Possibly the best thing that happened to him was you too, Hisana. Stubborn as he is, he listens to you. He's become slightly more personable over the past few years. He even attained Shikai and then Bankai not long after he met you. But did he ever tell you where my form came from?"_

Hisana looked at Byakuya who now looked slightly irritated that his sword was speaking for him. With a slight grunt, he pronounced that is was the Sakura blossom that Hisana had worn in her hair on their first date that inspired his swords' form.

"Senbonzakura… one thousand cherry blossoms?" she asked.

"_One for every reason why he loves you."_

"Only one thousand?" she teased.

Byakuya decided to interrupt his zanpakutou.

"I do have a Bankai you know…" he mumbled.

Hisana laughed lightly, finding the admission her husband made amusing. Senbonzakura swirled a cherry blossom onto the bed, resting it on their hands.

Things went quiet for a time, Byakuya memorizing and re-memorizing Hisana's face with his eyes and her hand with his thumb. The paleness in her skin was disappearing and allowing the normal color to seep back through. Her eyes shone more brightly, and the warmth of her skin was returning. Byakuya's mere presence revived her, and she would always be thankful for it.

"What will I do without you?" he finally asked.

She took his hand and placed it on her cheek, leaning into his warmth. "You'll go on. It's what you have Senbonzakura for; she will help you fight against the pain of losing me."

He replied after a moment, "Then I need to make this time last."

Byakuya abruptly changed seats, from his position in his chair to perching on the bedside. Quietly he asked Senbonzakura to disappear for a little while, to allow them some time alone.

Hisana shifted herself down the bed slightly, allowing Byakuya to lay parallel to her, molding against her form. Pulling her against him tightly he nuzzled the back of her neck, kissing the bits of skin he could find.

The last thing either one could remember before drifting off to sleep was the scent of cherry blossoms.

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Heh, did anyone see the Renji thing coming? I thought it was kind of cute... And the fluff... oh the fluff. I don't know if I'm any good at the fluff. Well, whatever. REVIEW!


	10. A Noble's Vices, and It's Aftermath

Yes, another small blurb before I move ahead with another chpater.

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_Another Step Forward_

Probably the only emotion for Byakuya that could suppress his deeply rooted sorrow, was anger.

Sorrow, while sometimes deemed to him unnecessary, was something that could never be lost. It left an indelible mark on ones' soul, and decided it could never come off. It was something that could never just be forgotten or left behind. It dug itself a hole in ones chest and burrowed there for a lifetime, and sometimes reared its ugly head in the most unusual and unlikely of places just to taunt its victim. The things that reminded a person of their grief, or their once felt sorrow, was incalculable by his standards, and it hurt to think that any of that number of things could drive him further into sadness. And to make matters worse, sorrow even brought with it a slew of other emotions like confusion, pain, despair, and a number of other things he'd rather care to forget.

But anger… oh, anger was an emotion that did not come so easily for him. There was a distinct difference to him between _annoyance_ and anger. Annoyance was something he could feel when paperwork was not completed on time. Annoyance happened when it started to rain right in the middle of the day when he felt like taking a walk. Annoyance would happen when a division member couldn't execute kidou. Anger, was an entirely different story.

A prime example, Byakuya mused, was when a certain sister decided to go on a hare-brained (a _thirteenth division captain's_ _white_ hare-brained) mission to the real world and do hollow dispatching, and somehow manage to go from trying to purifying hollows to implicating herself with a human boy and losing her own shinigami powers to said boy. _And _not returning for a _full month_ after her duties were supposed to be complete. _And_ worrying him sick because if he lost his sister, then he wouldn't be fulfilling his promise to his late wife that he would be taking care of that sister, and he would hate himself even more that he didn't protect that sister because she looked so damn much like his late wife, and that would just make it worse because he _still_ missed his late wife, and… and… It was frustration, annoyance, pissed-off, worrying, caring, desire to kick the crap out of, necessity to slice to ribbons that stupid orange-haired brat, and love… all at once. Yes, anger was not an emotion that came easy to Byakuya.

When the intel came in from Renji that Rukia had lost her shinigami powers and was floating around with some orange-haired _boy_, Byakuya took no time in gathering up Senbonzakura and rushing out the door. Renji hot on his heels.

Later, after he had killed that orange-haired cocky brat, and thought he had restored Rukia's powers to her, the final blow was dropped on him.

She was to be executed. For fraternizing with a human, and furthermore relinquishing her powers of being a shinigami without proper use, control, or authorization.

Now it wasn't just anger that Byakuya felt, it was confusion.

He was a captain of the Gotei 13, and he was bound to duty to the code he pledged to, as well as to a promise he had made long ago to his deceased parents that he would never break rules or regulations ever again… especially after adopting Rukia into the family. He'd already squashed the elders of his family once when he married outside of noble blood, but he stepped all over them again when he brought in Rukia.

But he also made a promise to his wife. To protect her sister, like she was his own. She was family for god's sake. He had a duty to family, and he was her brother now. He was the Kuchiki clan leader, he had to set example. _But does that mean I let her die because I'm following the rules, or does it mean I rescue her because she is family and I have a duty to her?_

Byakuya was a man of his word. So now, what was he to do?

Sit by and watch the very thing he swore to protect die? Or stand and fight?

No matter which way he looked at it, there was no easy answer, nor was there a way around the situation.

As he sat alone in his office, staring out the window towards Soukyoku Hill, there was only one thought that came to his mind.

_What, in all that is just, do I do?_

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And I just want to say I appreciate the amount of reviews I got on the last chapter -- it's been the most I've gotten on any one so far. Really, I thank you. The next full chapter to this fic should be out soon. I'm just trying to mull things over as best as possible.


	11. The Hourglass

Byakuya awoke the next morning with a slight kink in his neck. As he normally slept on cushy pillows every night, a hospital bed was a drastic change, and not one that he particularly adored. But he could make this small sacrifice as long as he was able to stay with his wife. Wincing at the pain, his hand gracefully reached over to hug his wife good morning, but as soon as his hand connected with bed sheets and no warm body beneath them, panic immediately struck. _Why is she always gone? _He rose from the bed quickly and became off balanced, which in turn caused him to stumble his way out of the room. He gripped the doorpost to regain his balance and turned off down the ward, running straight into a wide-eyed Unohana-taichou in the process.

"Glad to see you're awake Kuchiki-taichou." She began, giggling, when she recovered from the sudden rush. " I was on my way to tell you that your wife is awake and ready to be discharged."

Byakuya looked at her carefully, all the while rearranging his robes to make himself presentable and suppressing his embarrassment from acting so rashly. He could barely take in the information that the Fourth Division Captain had just proffered, his mind was still hazy from sleep and from the sudden shock of waking and not finding the person whom he had gone to sleep with at his side. With a small jerk of his head, he swallowed and looked back at Unohana a bit perplexed.

"Excuse me, discharged? Who has made such an order?"

Unohana's ever present smile twitched a bit higher, perhaps in amusement.

"She has. I will let her tell you the rest. She's waiting for you." She replied, lifting a hand and motioning off down the hall.

Byakuya still felt confused, and looked to Unohana one more time to make sure what she said was in fact truth. When he was satisfied, he nodded and walked off down the hall, the elder captain following in his wake.

When he arrived on the scene of the front hall to Fourth Division, Byakuya's eyes immediately sought out Hisana. She stood casually a few feet from the door, a ranked officer attending to her to ensure her proper discharge. The young female officer and his wife were chatting away happily waiting for his arrival.

Byakuya approached them, about to bid a greeting to his wife when Unohana stepped up behind him and broke the quiet conversation first.

"Third seat Kotetsu, I trust you have been taking good care of our patient and have quite fondly enjoyed her company. However, I unfortunately must ask you to temporarily pause your conversation and go and get the discharge papers. Please ensure that they are sent to Kuchiki-taichou's office, as I'm sure he will be headed there in the near future."

The young girl blushed a moment, then bowed to her superior officers and then to Hisana before departing and fetching the required items. Hisana responded in kind with a glowing smile and a quick wave before the Third seat tottered off.

"Now then, I trust you have thought this out carefully?" Unohana asked.

"But of course Unohana-taichou. I see this decision as a necessary for the sanity of both me and my husband. If any problems do suddenly occur, well, we know where to find you." Hisana replied with a smile.

They bowed to each other, and as Unohana began to turn away, she murmured quietly to Byakuya. "Take good care of her Kuchiki-sama. She's doing this for you."

Byakuya froze for a moment, wanting to stare back at the healer and ask her to clarify her statement. But he knew better than to do that; he knew exactly what that meant. Of course that also meant… this was it. Time had nearly run out and he didn't know how much longer they would have, but it would be just enough. The usual pain that constricted his heart was clamping down a little harder now and it was getting that much harder to breathe when he thought about what was to come. And as he looked ahead, all he could see coming was the pain and the fear. But with a simple touch from his wife's hand, it all disappeared.

"Shall we go?" she asked, as he came back to life from the touch.

His eyes trained on her suddenly, ripping his steely glare away from the floorboards into her azure eyes.

_We have all the time we need._

He wasn't even sure if Senbonzakura was saying that to just him or not, but he nodded in agreement and they walked out into the sunlight.

* * *

It was like reliving their first year of marriage again. That same giddy excitement that encouraged even the most latent of emotions. And for once, pain was not one of them. It was as if Hisana had been totally physically cured by whatever it was that Unohana had done with her before discharge. All of the things they had wanted to do together they were finally able to do them. He was not going to waste the opportunity Unohana had given them; neither was he going to try to figure out exactly what it was that she had to for them.

It was almost too perfect to be cliché, Byakuya mused. When he finally was able to settle down and actually _be_ with his wife. No shinigami to worry about, no paperwork (for he had left the Sixth Division in the 'capable' hands of his third-seat), and no noble duty to mention (he left the elders in a fit of rage, but Byakuya knew this was what they had all really wanted). A very long vacation was what he deemed it and an extremely necessary one at that. Byakuya had even gone as far as to suggest that they leave the Kuchiki mansion for a time, perhaps even the high walls of Soul Society, and live in Rukongai for a short while. Perhaps even go looking for her beloved sister.

Hisana pondered the suggestion before replying with a simple 'no'. But far from simple was her explanation of why; it was not that she did not want to look for her sister, but if she were to go, she would be going there for herself. She would be only thinking of her motives and how it would exclude Byakuya, regardless of what she had now told him and – Byakuya simply put his hand up, pausing the beginnings of an unnecessary explanation. Instead, now with her full attention, he captured her lips with his and finally managed to begin their 'vacation' with something they hadn't been able to partake in since the onset of Hisana's illness. Sliding the shoji to the bedroom closed, they weren't seen around the Kuchiki manse for at least three days.

After emerging from much needed…'exercise', Byakuya and Hisana took to going on long walks around the grounds of the Kuchiki mansion. The gardens, while great in number and no two were alike, covered nearly all of the Kuchiki estate as Byakuya himself came to find out. Even he didn't know all of what was on his land. Hisana took him to all of her particularly favorite gardens; ones of lilacs, lotuses, orchids, and of course sakura groves. She showed him the one she managed by herself, and the little koi pond that ran through it. She told him the names of the fish that were in the pond, and upon seeing a new one she guessed was born during her time at Fourth, she had him name it. It was an odd symbology for them, for never having had children or even thinking about it. But this little koi pond was enough for them.

On other outings, Hisana showed Byakuya a small lake on the outskirts of his land. Upon seeing it, Byakuya felt slightly foolish, especially for not knowing even _this _about his land. He had only ever gone so far away from the mansion when he was a boy. He was so unfamiliar with the things children did when they were that age. But Hisana quickly showed him at least one past time he missed by taking him to this lake.

After hiking up her robes to around her knees, she stepped into the water by the bank and leaned over putting her hands into the water and allowing them to hang there. The Kuchiki noble stared at her puzzled slightly by her actions. Whatever it was she was doing, she looked ridiculous and her robes were falling down her knees and would surely get wet. Calling out to her, Hisana shushed him, telling him that he'd scare them away if he kept yelling. Even more confused than before he obliged, but began rolling his own robes up and walking towards the bank. Before his foot had even reached the water, Hisana clamped her arms together and stood straight up holding a fish wriggling and thrashing about above her head. Water was dropping slowly onto her head and the widest toothy grin crossed her face as she looked to her husband.

"It's been a while, but I've still got it." She said.

The noble simply leaned down and rolled his robes back down. Making eye contact with his wife again, he folded his arms and spoke sternly. "I refuse."

Hisana never laughed so hard, he thought, as she threw the fish onto the bank. She came out of the water, taking one of his folded hands and guided his resisting feet to the water.

Needless to say that teaching Byakuya to fish was never more difficult, apart from their height difference, for whatever reason Byakuya was a terribly uncoordinated fisherman. Though a shinigami he may be, and a captain, that does not necessarily mean you are an excellent fisherman. Byakuya had never fished before in his life, and after three attempts at grabbing a few sunfish, he was certain it was not a sport he would ever continue. Hisana; however, was a master and accumulated a great number in all of the time it took Byakuya to manage one.

Hisana had showed him the few bits of kidou she had learned. With a bale of straw she showed him the attack spells, only up to level 30. Anywhere past that, she explained, she was just too weak for not to mention that the theory made no sense to her. She showed him the binding spells she had learned to him by using him as the opponent, though wary he was to find out how much she had learned. While he wasn't paying attention, she was able to bind his feet causing him to trip and for her to go down after him in a fit of giggles when she tried to help him. She wondered exactly how she had managed to get his feet when she had been aiming for his hands.

Dinner in the evening was always out on the wood patio with light breezes that brought in the scent of the flowers they had seen the same day. They could almost pick out each one, mumbling to the other one which one they were certain it was. Most of their meal was filled with conversation about the things Hisana had been learning about the Kuchiki family, the history of Soul Society, of politics, of architecture. She often mentioned to Byakuya how nice it would be to build a small dwelling down by the pond that they had gone fishing at. Byakuya smirked saying he would think about it.

Other nights their evenings were spent in silence just taking in the fullness of the other's presence. The beating of her heart; the slow, _clear_ breaths she would take; the smallness of her hands and feet. He had seen these hands, _known_ these hands for so long and yet he could still revel in every line and bone. It was something he could not forget, _would _not forget as he placed his lips to the soft skin of her palm, breathing in the scent of her flesh.

Hisana looked down at her husband, his lips to her palms, taking in the sight of him, his eyes closed in complete bliss. She swallowed lightly and a sudden fear took her, an anxious feeling gripping her chest tightly. Closing her eyes, she knew that it would be soon… the remedy that Unohana-taichou had given her, she knew to only last so long. She hadn't been counting the days, she had put it to the back of her mind; what point was there in watching an hour glass let out its last grains of sand? But somehow, she was satisfied. The time she had been given was enough; this moment now, what she had _right_ now was all that she wanted. When she opened her eyes again, it didn't hurt anymore and she knew that she had had enough.


	12. The Grains Have Run Their Course

When Byakuya opened his eyes the next morning to awaken his wife to get ready to go for a walk, he found her immovable, her pulse extremely low and her eyes fluctuating slowly between open and closed. She could barely breathe and what little she could came out as rattled, stale air.

_No. Not yet. Please. Just… not yet._

He summoned Unohana-taichou, practically begging for her to do whatever it was she had done the first time to Hisana, to please, do it again.

"I can't." she replied solemnly.

"And why in all that is good with the gods, not?!" he raged at her. Somehow he vaguely knew why. His mind rushed back to Unohana's own words, _"Now then, I trust you have thought this out carefully?"_

"It was a procedure that I was able to do with reiatsu, but in Hisana's case it was only a one-time thing. She had a steady stream of reiatsu left, and so we concentrated all that she had left to allow her to live a little while longer. The procedure of course seems to also overpower anything overtaking the body, almost like an adrenaline rush, similar to the techniques we use in battle. Which is why so many of us are able to fight on even when we have life-threatening lacerations. But when we did this, it shortened her lifespan. She knew full well that that was what would happen. " she stated.

"Well then can I not give her some of mine?" he was desperate. He couldn't just let this go on again without _any _of his help.

"I wish you could Kuchiki-san. But her body is far too frail for that now. If you gave her more reiatsu, you would kill her."

She was right, he knew she was right, and that was what made it hardest to bear.

"Go to her. The more you talk with me the less time you have with her." _To say goodbye._

Byakuya's nod was barely noticeable. Unohana bowed to him, stepping aside from the door to Hisana.

She was laid out on a palette, a blanket covering her up to her neck. The outside morning sunlight mocked the somber stillness of the room and the hard presence of death that loomed over Hisana.

He knelt beside her, taking up one of her hands examining it again as he had the night before. Pangs of anger and sorrow shook his heart, made him want to rip it out and fill the hole with nothing; no emotion at all.

Her hand was shaking slightly in his, practically shivering even though she was hotter fire.

The stillness was broken by Hisana's sudden dry cough and the words that followed.

"Bya… Byakuya…"

He couldn't even stand his own damn name anymore if was going to cause her this much pain.

"Please, do not talk if it hurts. Stay with me as long as you can." Grief was already taking over, his voice was trembling.

"This is… important. Please. These last five… years have been the best… of my life. I cannot…" another harsh, dry cough shook her small frame, all the while Byakuya holding her shaking hand. She dared not let go of him.

She struggled to be heard, "I cannot thank you… enough. But what I ask… you now, it will be hard. Please… find…"

Byakuya couldn't tell anymore that Hisana was trembling and he could hear his own damn knees shaking against the floorboards. Emotions were threatening to tear him apart and tears slowly brimmed to the surface of his eyes. He would not. He _could_ not.

"Find Rukia… Let my sister… be yours. Take care… of her as if she were… yours." Another cough, more feeble, but filled with fluid came bubbling through, blood forming at the corner of her mouth.

Byakuya found a cloth by her bedside and cautiously wiped her face clean.

His voice was barely a whisper, "I will." He took up her hand again, putting her palm against his cheek. It burned, her touch, this feeling of emptiness…

"Byakuya… call your sword."

He swallowed but did not ponder or even ask why. Trying to concentrate on his swords form, he asked Senbonzakura forth.

Cherry blossoms flowed in through the open windows and Byakuya's own reiatsu glowed around the petals.

"Senbon… zakura…" was all she choked out.

She gripped his hand harder, trembling more in her actions, but suddenly Byakuya felt it. Felt _her_ beneath his hands, sliding into his reiatsu. It was so small, the feeling of her reiatsu as it flowed warmly from her cold hand to his. He could only receive it, do nothing more than allow her one last act.

When he felt the last of her reiatsu disappear within him, he hesitantly leaned forward looking into her eyes.

Hisana's azure blue eyes were slowly flickering shut, the lightest of smiles tugging at her lips. "For you…"

She was gone.

The world stopped spinning in Byakuya's mind. The wind stopped flowing, his heart stopped beating. He still held her hand, but he just as well felt he was holding nothing.

All he could feel was the rain of tears down his face, and the faded warmth of reiatsu on his hand.


End file.
